ORLANDO, Fla.- The Ave Maria University men's tennis team easily handled a solid NCAA Division III foe on Wednesday evening, sweeping nine matches for a 9-0 victory over Piedmont University in Orlando. AMU was just the third team to defeat Piedmont this spring, as the Lions entered with a 6-2 record. The match was contested under NCAA rules, with all three doubles matches counting for a point, and the doubles matches being played to eight.

The Gyrenes were dominant in doubles play to start the day off, winning all three matches by a combined score of 24-8. Fernando Orihuela and Sebastian Grijalva had the most impressive performance, beating Piedmont's top team of Chris Bale and Patrick Dempsey, 8-1. Felipe Amorim and Bruno Duarte added an 8-4 win at the second position, and Adriel Bousquet and Graham Gibbs finished off the doubles sweep with an 8-3 victory, giving the Gyrenes a 3-0 lead heading into singles play. 

Piedmont managed just eleven total points in six matches, as Ave Maria won six straight set efforts in singles play. Bruno Duarte knocked off Piedmont's number one player, Alberto Nunez, by a 6-4, 6-2 score. Fernando Orihuela added a 6-1, 6-1 win at the number two spot, and Sebastian Grijalva surrendered just one point in a 6-0, 6-1 win over Piedmont's Roman Webb at the number three position.

Felipe Amorim was the lone Gyrene to run the table in his match, winning 12 straight points in a 6-0, 6-0 win over Cooper Kework at the fourth spot. Adriel Bousquet nearly equalled the feat, giving up just one point in a 6-1, 6-0 win over Kody Dills. The final of Ave Maria's singles wins was provided by Graham Gibbs, who was a 6-0, 6-1 winner over Piedmont's Colin Drawdy.

A Sun Conference showdown awaits Ave Maria on Saturday, as the Gyrenes host the Bees of SCAD-Savannah on the AMU campus. SCAD is currently ranked 25th in the nation in the newest NAIA Coaches' Poll, while the Gyrenes are ranked 17th. Wins in their final three Sun Conference matches - against SCAD, Coastal Georgia, and Warner - would put the Gyrenes in prime position to finish in the top three in The Sun Conference. Opening serve of the conference match is scheduled for high noon in Ave Maria.